§ Clause 1, page 1, line 22, leave out ("lending of the object for exhibition in places outside Great Britain") and insert ("exercise of those powers in respect of the object.")
§ LORD PARMOORMy Lords, I beg to move that we agree with the last of the Commons Amendments.
§ Moved, That this 'House doth agree with the Commons in the said Amendment.—(Lord Parmoor.)
475§ VISCOUNT LEE OF FAREHAMMy Lords, may I ask if the Lord Chancellor will be good enough to explain the legal significance of this change of words, which is not very apparent to a layman?
§ LORD PARMOORMy Lords, perhaps I might be allowed to answer that question. I do not think that it goes further than a question of drafting. The Amendment is to leave out the words "lending of the object for exhibition in places outside Great Britain" and to insert the words "exercise of those powers in respect of the object." I should have thought that the drafting was certainly better and I do not think any objection can be raised to it. I do not think it is a matter of substance one way or another.
§ VISCOUNT LEE OF FAREHAMDoes it make any difference?
§ LORD HANWORTHMy Lords, may I be allowed to say that as far as I can see it makes no difference whatever? It seems to me that if you exercise those powers you are lending, which is the object of the Bill. The exercise of the power of lending is lending. I got as far as that. Before, it was lending. Now it is the exercise of the power of lending. I think it is the same thing. I hope the noble and learned Lord, the Lord Chancellor, will not differ.
THE EARL OF CRAWFORDMy Lords, I understand the noble Lord, Lord Pass-field, takes a strong view on this and I propose to support the Government.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (LORD PASSFIELD)My Lords, I must disclaim any knowledge or any authority on such a delicate point of drafting, but in this matter I shall follow my noble and learned Leader.
§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAMMy Lords, may I say that the Bill as originally drafted only allowed these articles to be lent for public exhibition. We have now added to that the power to lend for display in the official house of a British Ambassador or Minister. If the subsection as it was originally drafted stood, it might have been said that the sending of the object for exhibition was something different from sending it to the Ambassador's house for display. Therefore it was thought better to 476 put in these words. I suspect that that is what is at the bottom of the Amendment.
§ THE LORD CHANCELLORMay I confirm my noble and learned friend's suspicion?
§ A Committee appointed to prepare a Reason to be offered to the Commons for disagreeing to an Amendment, the Committee to meet forthwith.
§ Report from the Committee of the Reason to be offered to the Commons read and agreed to; and a Message ordered to be sent to the Commons returning the Bill with the Reason.